State Won’t Prosecute Bingo Parlor Operator
The state attorney general’s office has found insufficient evidence to support criminal charges that the operator of the biggest bingo parlor in Los Angeles illegally appropriated money from the Woodland Hills charity that sponsors it. But the charity, Identity Inc., still faces the possible loss of its bingo license because police and city investigators are looking into whether its founder, Edith Ryan--known as the “Queen of Bingo”--made illegal payments to volunteer workers.
“What we found was insufficient for us to determine that she was absconding with the charity’s funds,” Deputy Atty. Gen. Chet Horn said. “We don’t clear her. We find that there is insufficient evidence for us to proceed.”
Horn said an auditor will pay a final visit to Identity soon to look into some minor pending issues.
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